This Citrus Kombucha is sweet and tart with grapefruit, orange, lemon, and lime juices. Sweetened with maple syrup for added sweetness.
Made with four different citrus fruits, this Citrus Kombucha is a sweet, tart, bubbly drink. Freshly squeezed orange, grapefruit, lemon, and lime make this homemade kombucha light and refreshing.
It's sweetened with maple syrup to balance out the tartness of the citrus fruits.
Some other drinks I've made with citrus fruits are an Orange Mocktail Mojito and a Grapefruit Basil Mojito.
For a healthy breakfast recipe with oranges try an Orange Creamsicle Chia Pudding.
Jump to:
Two Types of Fermentation
The first fermentation of kombucha is when you combine sweetened tea, a kombucha scoby, and some starter tea. You let it ferment for 7-21 days and the result is uncarbonated unflavored kombucha.
For the second fermentation you remove the scoby and take that kombucha you made in the first fermentation and add flavor. You let it ferment for another 3-5 days in sealed bottles. The result is a fizzy flavored drink.
You can ferment the flavored kombucha up to 14 days. It all depends on the amount of sugar content in the flavor you're adding, and the temperature of the room.
Warmer temperatures will cause faster fermentation, and higher sugar content will also speed up fermentation.
What Makes Kombucha Fizzy?
The second fermentation is when kombucha gets fizzy. By putting it into a sealed container at room temperature and adding a sugar source (fruit and / or sweetener), carbon dioxide builds.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. To see the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Homemade kombucha: You'll need freshly made kombucha that has not been refrigerated yet.
- Orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, and lime juice: I used freshly squeezed citrus juices. You could also use. store-bought orange juice and grapefruit juice. I do not recommend using store-bought lemon or lime juice because I don't know how the preservatives react with kombucha.
- Maple syrup: Adds sweetness. You could also use agave syrup or simple syrup.
🥣 Supplies
- Funnel
- 4 (25 ounce) bottles with flip top lids
- Measuring cup
🔪 Instructions
Juice oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes. Strain the pulp.
Pour 2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and ¼ cup maple syrup into each bottle.
Pour your freshly fermented homemade kombucha into the bottles, leaving 1-2" head space. Let sit 3-5 days.
Pop open the lids at least once a day. Pressure builds, and this allows it to escape.
Should I Burp My Second Ferment Kombucha?
Yes! If you don't you could have a mess. By adding sugar to the homemade kombucha and fermenting a second time in bottles with swing top lids, you're creating an environment for carbonation. If you don't allow it to escape, you'll have kombucha all over your kitchen.
How Long Does It Take To Get Fizzy Kombucha?
It can take anywhere from 1-14 days. It depends on a few things.
- It depends how much sugar you have in the kombucha. (Sugar in the form of fruit and / or sweetener.) The more sugar, the faster you'll get carbonation.
- It also depends on the weather. Warmer temperature = faster carbonation. I've had bubbly kombucha after a day in summer months and bubbly kombucha after a week in colder months.
💭 Tips
- Shake bottle before pouring a glassful.
- Use bottles with swing top lids. Mason jars and store-bought kombucha bottles that have the seal broken won't hold carbonation.
- You can substitute the maple syrup with agave syrup, brown sugar, white sugar, or another sweetener.
- Refrigerate after the kombucha is done fermenting.
5 Secrets To Making Kombucha
Kombucha just got easier!
We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
*Don't forget to come back and leave your feedback and star rating.
Affiliate links below. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
🧂 You May Need
📋 Recipe
Citrus Kombucha
Ingredients
- 12 cups homemade kombucha
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ cup grapefruit juice
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ½ cup lime juice
- 1 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Juice oranges, grapefruit, lemons, and limes and strain pulp.
- Line up 4 (25 ounce) bottles with flip top lids or other air tight bottles.
- Pour 2 tablespoons orange juice, 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and ¼ cup maple syrup into each 25 ounce bottle.
- Using a funnel, pour freshly made homemade kombucha into each 25 ounce bottle leaving 1-2" head space.
- Let bottles sit out (at 75° - 85°) 3-5 days, making sure to pop the lids each day to let out the pressure of the carbon dioxide. Taste each day to test its flavor and fizziness.
Notes
Nutrition
*Note: Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only. Different nutrition calculators give you different results.
Leave a Reply